Uncovering the mysteries of the sea – meet the groundbreaking new OceanOmics dashboard
Groundbreaking technology developed by Minderoo Foundation combining Artificial Intelligence and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling is set to revolutionise the way marine scientists monitor and protect the health of our oceans and study the life and mysteries they hold.
Developed through a partnership between Minderoo and the Australian Government, the OceanOmics eDNA Dashboard allows researchers to analyse huge data sets of eDNA material, where seawater is filtered to collect ‘genetic breadcrumbs’ that all species leave behind. This eDNA technology provides a fast, cost-effective way to detect species without directly observing them, massively increasing our ability to monitor marine wildlife without harming it.
To begin the OceanOmics eDNA Dashboard project, Minderoo co-funded the collection and analysis of one of the largest marine eDNA datasets ever assembled, collecting samples in marine parks across Australia from tropical reefs to zones 6,000m deep, securing thousands of samples.
“This is a lot of data, so to make sense of it all, and enable people to interact with the data, we co-developed a dashboard that allows users to explore the living fabric of our oceans at scale,” Dr Philipp Bayer, Principal of Computational Biology at Minderoo Foundation, said.
“While we can’t see DNA, we can read it - and now we can visualise the output too. One new feature we are excited about is interweaving a new AI tool to interface with eDNA data – this hasn’t been done before.”
In the Minderoo OceanOmics Centre at The University of Western Australia over 1.2 billion DNA barcodes were recovered - each two litre eDNA seawater sample averaging 62 different fish species detections. In total, over 2500 different fish species were detected and 135 different kinds of cartilaginous fishes (sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras). This is over half of the fishes that call Australian seas home and creates a powerful baseline of where species are found.
Dr Bayer said the OceanOmics eDNA Dashboard allows users to search, visualise and interrogate the data using AI – and is accessible whether you’re a marine scientist, park manager or a student working on a school project.
“In one example, we asked the AI tool to search for a list of threatened whale species (Blue, Sperm and Finn Whales were detected). In another example, the tool identified unknown DNA signatures near a sea mount – revealing new biodiversity hotspots that need further exploration and protection,” Dr Bayer said.
The $11.8 million project was supported by $8.4 million from Minderoo Foundation and $3.4 million from the Australian government’s Ocean Discovery and Restoration program.
“This innovative dashboard is a game-changer for marine conservation as we can now ‘visualise’ the ocean in an entirely new way – from threatened handfish to whale sharks, we’re gaining insights that were unimaginable just a few years ago,” Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Murray Watt, said.
“By co-investing in world-leading science like this, we’re better equipped to protect the incredible biodiversity in our marine parks and make evidence-based decisions for the future.”
Future iterations will allow users to receive alerts when species of interest are detected, enhancing conservation, education and research efforts nationwide.
The public release of the dashboard is available here.
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